The University of the South Pacific (USP) has renewed the contract of its current president and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Rajesh Chandra, who will continue his position for a term of four years.

The USP council made the decision  at its 76^th meeting in Nuku‘alofa, 15-16 May.

The Pro-Chancellor and Chair of the USP Council, Mr Ikbal Jannif confirmed the Council’s confidence in the Vice Chancellor’s re-appointment, to continue at the helm of the university.

In a statement released by USP yesterday May 23, Mr Jannif said that  “Professor Chandra's re-appointment will ensure that the objectives of the strategic plan 2013 – 2018 will be implemented in the most effective way on its way to achieving excellence by the USP’s 50^th anniversary.”

The Vice Cancellor's new term begins from mid-2014.

The Council at an earlier meeting in November 2012 set up a joint Committee of Council and Senate to review the performance of the Vice-Chancellor to make a recommendation on renewal of contract. The Joint Committee was chaired by the Deputy Chair of council Fekitamoeloa 'Utoikamanu (Tonga) and included three members of council and two members of the USP senate.

Professor Rajesh Chandra

Opposition

Earlier this month, opposition to the re-appointment of Prof. Chandra was led by Dr Fr. Mikaele Paunga, SM, who circulated a petition from a group called "USP-devoted IE for Justice". Fr Paunga, who works for the Pacific Regional Seminary, was critical of a reform process initiated by Dr Chandra in recent years that had resulted in redundancies and dismissals.

However, the Pacific Regional Seminary management, a neighbouring tertiary institution to USP,  issued a disclaimer to the USP, stating that it was "embarrassed and concerned" and had not played any part in the petition.